


(Us) and Other Broken Things

by stories_with_no_ending



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-10-27 17:41:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17771288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stories_with_no_ending/pseuds/stories_with_no_ending
Summary: Post-Civil War, pre-Infinity War.How Wanda and Vision find their way back to each other.





	1. Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully this will be around 6 chapters so not very long and I will try my damn hardest to upload it every few days.

She forgot to eat most days. 

It wasn't on purpose. She always told herself she would stop skipping meals but every time it hit her, she could not move. Just with a thought, she was paralysed. 

Time moved agonizingly slow and every second that passed meant she was more out of control than the last. 

In moments like these, everything around her turned scarlet - to be destroyed by accident, with intention, or something in between. In moments like these, she felt purposeless. 

That collar around her neck had left red marks that were still visible, but she didn't mind those as much. What she minded was the feeling of chocking she got every time she thought about it, what she minded was the what the collar had represented. 

Every time she had tried to use her powers, a shock would come. Now that she was free, she still felt the shock within her, nagging at her edges and pulling her down. 

She felt like an animal trapped in human skin. 

They all checked on her. 

Sometimes, Wanda forgot those people were not just your friendly-neighbour type. No, they had wounds and battle scars across every inch of their life and they had learned to live with the damage that had come their way far better than she had. 

She felt like a child among adults. 

She felt like a person among legends because that is exactly what she was. 

Pietro would have made fun of all this, laugh at her for being so damn dramatic.  _You are surrounded by superheroes_ , he would say, _stop mopping around_. 

And for all that it was worth, Wanda tried. 

She made plans she never stuck to, dreamt up dreams that ended up abandoned, in the back of her head. 

That's where _he_ was, too. In the back of her head, buried carefully under piles of thoughts she conjured to keep herself occupied. 

There was a soft knock on the door, and Wanda hesitated. If she said nothing, she could get away with pretending she was asleep. 

It would save her the energy it took to get up and talk to everyone, to force smiles on her face and watch everyone else force smiles on theirs, to force away the awkward silence that always settles in their group that is only a half-group, a group you can feel the presence of ghosts in. 

Then, her stomach grumbled and she realised she hadn't eaten at all today. 

"Yes?" she said 

The expected reply came back, "Dinner is ready." 

She walked out the door a few seconds later, ignoring the broken brush that laid on the floor, along with the shattered vase. 

It was a stupid idea to have flowers in her room anyway. It wasn't even really her room. 

And she shared it with Natasha anyway. 

She saw Natasha first as she made her way to where a barely-standing table was. The other woman forced a smile as she spoke, "Look who finally decided to join us."

Everyone turned around at that. 

Unlike Natasha, Steve's smile was genuine. As was the concern shinning in Clint's eyes. 

"What's for dinner?" Wanda asked meekly, taking the last seat available.

"You'd know if you had been here," Clint joked. He proceeded to place some semblance of a veggie meal on the table. 

Natasha groaned at the sight. "I know that we can't really afford meat but this crap is getting old as hell." 

"Not much you can do about it," Steve said and Wanda figured that would be the final thing she heard for at least half an hour. 

Natasha had other plans though. 

"Not with your moral compass, there's not," she said. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Steve asked, faking confusion. 

A faint smile pulled at the corners of Wanda's lips. She, like everyone else at the table, knew full well what Natasha meant: if it weren't for Steve, they'd be stealing twice more than they were now. 

Maybe thrice. 

"I think Cap's morals are perfect," Scott chipped in. 

"You think Cap's everything is perfect," Sam said, "Out of everyone at this table, I can't believe it's not you screwing him."

Wanda laughed at this, a shy snort that came out unexpectedly. She wasn't the only one. 

"There's always room for more," Bucky said, his tone inviting. Then, he burst out laughing at his own damn joke. 

Something changed after that. The mood remained light as they ate and even Wanda managed to sneak a few jokes in. 

And then, everything crashed. 

"We have to separate the group," Steve said. His tone indicated finality but Wanda didn't quite want to accept that. 

Scott, it seemed, didn't either. "What," he asked, "why?" 

Wanda shared the sentiment, although she had a feeling she already knew the answer. 

She had heard Steve's silent mumbles about how buying so much food raises questions, Natasha's fierce insistence that they didn't all need to go out at the same time. 

"We make too large of a group, we're noticeable," Natasha explained, exchanging a brief look with Steve. Just like that, she confirmed Wanda's suspicions. 

She didn't want to be alone though, no matter how much she may have acted like it. So she said, "We never go out together anyway, what's the big deal?" 

"We're criminals, Wanda," Bucky answered her, "if we're all in one place, we make ourselves easy targets."

Wanda shook her head, "we're seven fucking superheroes. We're _not_ an easy target."

"Our goal isn't to fight anyone, though," Steve said. His voice was gentle as if by speaking softly, he could protect Wanda. 

He couldn't. 

Somewhere, from deep in her mind, a wish for someone else arose within her. _He would understand,_ she thought even if she wasn't sure of her own words. 

"I don't want to be alone," she admitted. It felt like defeat to her. 

She had never been good at being alone. She'd gone from living with Pietro to living with the Avengers to living in this broken, home-like place with them. 

She felt like a child again, unable to have a say in anything, not capable of deciding for herself. 

There was a reason she went with Clint when he asked, a month ago. She hated being trapped.  

"We can stay in groups of two," Steve finally said. 

"Maybe even three," Natasha added.

Wanda considered this. If they were taking pity on her, she would rather tell them to fuck off than accept their offer. 

But- 

But she was scared. 

In the end, she nodded numbly. Surprisingly, Natasha reached over the table, giving her hand a tight squeeze. 

It was only then that she realised everyone was staring at her. 

"You don't have to do this for me," she said, lying through her teeth. 

Between all of them, Wanda figured she might have just barely convinced Scott. Barely and only him. 

"We'll have to constantly switch," Bucky sighed. 

Everyone seemed to agree to that. 

* * *

 

It had been 20 days, 2 hours and 7 minutes since the last moment he had seen Wanda in person. 

The fact that his curiosity had won the best of him and he had checked on her while she was still a prisoner was besides the point. 

What was the point, though, was that he was helplessly distracted. Even simple tasks like holding a conversation or helping Tony with some obscure knowledge had become increasingly difficult to do. 

His mind refused to stop picturing Wanda; Wanda sending him 20 floors in the ground, Wanda hurt in his arms, Wanda held prisoner like a dog. 

His mind had become all her and she was impossible to erase. 

It didn't surprise Vision that Tony had noticed. 

It had only taken Tony two days and seventeen times Vision completely forgot to answer him back. They had a talk then, about how getting distracted was not going to end well, about how the job they had required a clear mind and an even clearer intent. 

About how people suffered when Vision got distracted. 

Of course, he knew all of that. 

It didn't help with the red flashes constantly at the corners of his mind, or the blue-green eyes that haunted his waking moments. 

He had tried to make it stop, tried to fill his mind with everything but her or tried to ignore the gentle memory of her fingers brushing against his, or the vicious one of her using the mind stone against him. 

Nothing ever worked. 

In the end, Vision had declared himself doomed. 

It was only when news broke of the rouge team that he started paying attention to the world around him again. 

"Barton negotiated a deal," Tony announced 37 days 15 hours in. 

It immediately pecked Vision's attention, "What type of deal?"

"The type that he tells us where they all have been hiding in return for making his home a prison."

Vision considered that. "Would he really betray them for that?" He asked, although he felt like the answer was obvious. 

Tony's bitter laugh confirmed his suspicion. 

"'Course not. I don't for a second believe Barton will give us any real information."

Vision nodded. He would rather they (she) be free and for him to be unable to see them, than stuck in a cage where they are treated like a weapon than a person. Even so, he cannot deny the sense of loss that slowly overcame him. 

He wondered if she was okay, if she was eating properly. 

After Pietro's death, he had watched her spiral into depression, had to watch as she lost weight, as she was plagued by nightmares. 

He hoped she was doing better than that now because the thought that she wasn't - 

It was too much for him. 

"I would like to be there when they question him," Vision stated, not quite looking for permission. 

"I didn't think anything else," Tony answered him. 

Vision was about to turn around and walk out of the room, hoping he could get the chance to mule this information over when Tony stopped him. 

"You should talk to Barton alone," he said. 

Vision hesitated, "Would Mr. Ross allow for that?" he asked. 

Tony laughed at him, which happened fairly often. 

"I'll make sure you get a chance to talk to him but - " he said, " you might want to consider what you're risking here." 

There was no consideration to be done, as far as Vision was concerned. If there was any chance at all that he could get to Wanda, he would take it. He just hoped she felt the same. 

* * *

 

It was the last day before they all separated when Natasha appeared in the doorway wearing a beanie over her head and her T-shirt strained with all kinds of colourless patches. Everyone else was in the living room, talking plans out as if they hadn't already established everything.

"It's like 90 degrees outside, Nat," Clint pointed out. 

Wanda already knew what this was. She recognised this method from a long time ago.

"What did you do to your hair?" She asked the beanie-wearing, mess-like woman. 

Natasha scoffed. "Nothing happened to my ha-" She caught Scott's prying hand just in time. 

The look she threw him could probably have kill someone. 

"It was nice knowing you, Lang," Sam sniggered. 

Scott looked absolutely petrified. 

"Now come on, Nat," Clint said, getting closer to her, "leave poor Scott alone."

Nat took him down in like two seconds but Bucky was already on her by the time she was done. He tried to make a quick grab for the beanie but Nat caught him in time. A minute later, he was on the floor and Wanda figured that was that, but Bucky tripped her and as she lost her balance for a second. 

Wanda saw her chance. 

In a flash of red, the beanie was off, revealing bright orange beneath it. 

Clint, from the ground, lost it. 

"What did you do?" Bucky asked, looking absolutely terrified of the colour. 

"Didn't know we were missing carrots," Sam sniggered. 

Wanda herself couldn't quite believe what she was seeing. To say that Natasha always looked flawless was an understatement. In fact, Wanda was sure she had never seen the older woman with so much as a hair out of place. 

Except now. 

"You're all assholes," Natasha remarked, frustration written on her face. 

"What were you trying to do?" Steve, who seemed to be taking some sort of pity Nat, asked. 

Natasha sighed, a deep, exaggerated sound. "Bleach it, obviously." 

"How long did you keep it on?" Wanda asked, wondering if she could fix it. 

Natasha looked at her dumbfounded. "That matters?"

Upon receiving an amused nod, she answered, "like 10 minutes." 

No wonder her hair looked bright orange. 

"I think I can fix that if you want to," Wanda offered. 

"No, no, it looks great like this," Clint joked. 

Natasha flipped him off before turning her full attention to Wanda. It only made her more intimidating. 

"Can you really fix this?" 

"That's how Pietro looked the first time he tried to bleach his hair too. I'll just need some supplies probably." She still remembered that day, the high-pitched scream Pietro had given, the horrified look. She had laughed herself hoarse at him, before agreeing to try to help him out. It hadn't turned out perfect but it had definitely been better than before. 

Wanda felt the mood in the room change after her remark. She had said it as a joke but his name left an echo, anyway. She tried to shake off the uneasy feeling that settled in her. 

"Okay, then." Natasha agreed, a hint of hope in her eyes. "I'm shaving my head if that doesn't work out." 

For what it was worth, Wanda reckoned Natasha would totally rock the look. 

"Okay, you'll probably need more bleach and some light blonde dye. Maybe some toner." Wanda said. 

"I'm not going out like this," Natasha responded, crossing her arms. She looked at everyone else in the room. "Who volunteers?" she asked. 

"I still think you rock the orange," Clint laughed. Natasha threw him a dirty look. 

Wanda would have gone, but it had turned out she was a terrible thief. It would be a suicide mission trying to rob a store. 

"I can go," Scott volunteered. "I am the best thief here, after all."

"Perfect," Natasha said, "Wanda, tell him what to get." 

"Is no one going to question the morality of stealing hair dye?" Steve asked, a glint of amusement in his eyes. 

"Shut up, Rogers. You stole shaving cream." 

"Everyone used that!" 

"Not everyone," Wanda mumbled. Natasha gave her a quick nod, agreeing. 

"That's a good point. We should steal more of that," the currently-orange-haired woman smirked. 

Steve just groaned.

"Why is your answer to everything stealing?" Sam asked. 

"You stole a jacket the other day because you liked how it looked!"

"That's not true, I needed that jacket." He argued. 

"Why?" Natasha asked, insistently. 

Sam opened his mouth to answer, then closed it back. "Because I liked it", he mumbled.

Bucky snorted. 

Steve, on the other hand, was not impressed. 

"Come on, Cap. Are you really gonna make me walk around like this?" She cried, then rethought her approach. "Bright orange will attract unwanted attention." 

Steve threw her one pointed look before sighing and agreeing. 

"Okay, so what am I getting?" Scott asked. 

"Any bleach powder, mixer and the lightest blonde hair dye you can find." Wanda answered. 

Scott nodded dumbly. "Right..." 

"I can go with you," Wanda offered. 

"No, you can't," Steve immediately argued. 

"Agreed," Clint said. 

"Natasha!" Wanda whined, hoping for a miracle. 

Natasha just shrugged. "I'd rather shave my hair than have to deal with you in prison." 

Wanda flinched at that. It was involuntary but everyone noticed. Without thinking, she reached up to her neck, where the red wounds had disappeared, replaced by forming scars. 

That goddamn collar and that goddamn cell. 

She made a point to meet everyone's eyes individually after that, a sign that she was okay and that they did not need to pity her. 

Everyone seemed to, anyway. 

"Fine, I'm not going." She said. 

She hadn't really wanted to go anyway, but now that the choice was stripped away, it was frustrating not to be able to. 

Even if she was a disastrous thief. 

In the end, Scott managed just fine to get the stuff they needed, so Wanda ended up with bleach-filled fingers while everyone else but her and Natasha were eating. 

"You really have to eat in front of us?" Natasha growled. 

Wanda had positioned Natasha on a stool facing the other way from the dining table but it didn't help that she could see everyone eating in the window. 

"Theoretically, we're behind you," Sam pointed out, mouth audibly full.

Wanda's stomach grumbled in response. 

"Assholes," Natasha said, loud enough for everyone to hear. The response was a bunch of sniggering. 

"It's okay, I'm almost done applying the bleach." Wanda said, trying to focus on her work. 

"Thanks for doing this," Natasha replied. 

Wanda felt her visibly relax under her fingers. She smiled at that. 

It was rare Natasha ever relaxed enough. 

"You'll look great," Wanda promised. 

"I don't doubt it." 

For a moment, they both fell silent, listening to the guys talking and laughing behind them. 

Then, Natasha spoke again. 

"I know you miss him," she said. 

For a moment, Wanda was confused. 

Natasha must have felt this, because a few seconds later, she clarified, "Vision."

"I don't - " Wanda started, instinctively denying it before realising who she was talking to. "It doesn't really matter that I do, does it?" 

Natasha sighed, "No, it doesn't. But it should." 

Another pause in the conversation, the Wanda asked, "Does it ever stop hurting?" 

For a second, she felt Natasha hesitate. 

Then, "It depends on the person. Sometimes it does, sometimes not so much. On occasion, it never goes away." 

Wanda sighed, wondering which one she was. 

"I never stopped missing Bruce." Natasha admitted in a low whisper. 

At the table behind them, the laughter had stopped. 


	2. Countdown

Steve and Bucky were the first to leave. 

It was too early in the morning, some time right after five. The sun hadn't risen yet and they weren't turning on the lights just in case someone would see it and think it weird.

Wanda found the darkness agitating, but she said nothing. 

She was leaning against Natasha, whose hair now looked a good shade of light blonde. At least there was that to be happy about. 

"Cheer up, everyone," Bucky tried, with a smile that was more a smirk on his lips, "I know you're all gonna miss me but I'll be fine." 

"You're an asshole, Barnes," Sam remarked, laughing lightly. 

"Yeah, no one here is gonna miss you." Clint said. 

"Except Stevie over here," Natasha added, with a smirk. 

"You know what?" Steve started, "I am gonna miss you." 

Wanda noticed that they weren't holding hands but Steve's hand was still brushing against Bucky's. In a sick sort of way, she almost envied them. At least they were secure in their relationship, in their feelings towards each other. 

"Ugh," Sam complained. "Keep the sweetness to a damn minimum, please." 

Instead, Bucky made a point of nuzzling his head against Steve's shoulder. 

Steve laughed an easy, unfamiliar laugh. The kind that Wanda didn't hear too often from him. 

"Take care of yourselves," Natasha finally said. 

Both men nodded solemnly. 

"I'm sure the Wakandans have great ways to protect us." Bucky said, half joking, half in disbelief of his own words. 

Natasha just shook her head. "I'm sure they do." 

Then she hugged them both. "Don't cause another war while you're there." 

Sam hugged them next, "Nat, it's them. World War III will have started by tomorrow morning." 

Wanda hugged them too, careful to make it a tight one. 

"I'm gonna be okay," Bucky whispered in her ear. 

She nodded shakenly, unsure of whether she believed that. 

They left soon after and the small apartment felt empty without them.

After that, Scott and Clint started getting ready to leave too. 

"Give Ross hell," Sam told them. 

Clint smiled at that, "Wouldn't dream of anything else."

"And tell Laura hi from me," Natasha added. 

"She'll be happy to know you're alright." 

"I'm sure there are other things she'll be happier about," she smirked, earning a soft laugh. 

"Take care of yourselves," Clint finally said, making a point out of looking at everyone individually. 

Wanda smiled at him, "We will." 

She wasn't sure she believed that but she could pretend. 

Then, Clint pulled her in a tight hug. "You're gonna be okay, kid," he said. 

Wanda smiled against his shoulder, "I'm not really a kid." 

"Yes, you are," Clint whispered back. He held on for a moment longer before letting go. 

A smile remained on her lips. She didn't think 17 qualified as a kid still, but she enjoyed the feeling of being protected, nonetheless. 

Him and Scott left after that, too. The apartment now felt like it was mocking them with its emptiness. 

What had felt like a tiny place before now seemed a palace. Wanda looked around at the living room, already missing everyone. 

It tugged at her that it had felt like having a family again, like she was someone's responsibility. She hadn't really felt like that since her parents died, much less since Pietro died as well. 

It had felt good and now, it seemed like that was over too. 

"I'm gonna have to go, too," Sam said, reaching to hug Natasha. 

Natasha reciprocated. "Take care of yourself," she told him as they parted. 

"You too," Sam said as he reached for Wanda. She smiled into his shoulder. 

"We will," she promised him, even if she wasn't sure she could keep it. 

Just like that, her and Natasha were alone. 

"We'll have to get going, too," Natasha said. 

Wanda nodded, absentmindedly. She couldn't help the feeling of loss that settled in the pit of her stomach. "What do you think family is?" she asked instead. 

Behind her, she heard Natasha sigh, a deep, sad sound. 

"I have no clue," she said, "but I think this is the closest I'll ever get to it." 

Wanda turned around to face her at that, looking straight into her eyes. "I'm honoured to be your family, then." 

Natasha smiled at her, leaning forward to put an arm around her shoulders. 

"We're gonna be okay," she said with confidence that Wanda could not muster herself. 

* * *

 

Vision was pacing nervously around the room. 

At least, he had intended to pace. Somewhere along the way, he had started lightly hovering above the ground. 

In the corner, Tony sighed. 

"Slow down, you can't make time move faster," he told Vision. 

"I know -" he stopped when he realised it was sarcasm. 

Tony just gave him a tired half-smile. 

The room felt claustrophobic and it didn't help that the anticipation was running high. Vision was about to say he was going to get some air when Mr. Ross walked in. At the sight of him, Vision lowered himself to the ground, trying to figure out an acceptable position for his arms to be in. 

In the corner, Tony didn't get up. Even so, Vision saw that the man's eyes were focused now. 

"Lang's first," Mr. Ross said, not bothering with niceties. 

Vision found that he wasn't upset by that. He didn't really wanna talk about the weather right now. 

He turned his attention to the cameras that were positioned on the wall. There, he could see Scott Lang entering a grey, windowless room. 

The man was instructed to sit down at the table, which he obeyed. A chair was pulled out for him. He took it with only slight hesitation, the kind that Vision thought he was the only one he could see. 

Mr. Lang's wrists were in handcuffs. 

Vision was not surprised by that but he found the image disturbing nonetheless. 

Mr. Ross entered the room a few moments after. Already, Mr. Lang looked uncomfortable, perhaps even scared. 

Vision wondered whether his fear had anything to do with the cells they had all been kept in before Steve Rogers broke them out. 

He found his mind wondering back to Wanda, to that collar that had been on her neck. Vision never had quite seen her as fragile before that moment, but seeing her like that - it changed something in him. 

He pushed the thought aside in order to focus. 

Mr. Ross had already started talking. 

By the looks of it, it wasn't going spectacularly well. 

The secretary of defense sighed, an exaggerated sound that Vision could easily tell was fake. 

"If you don't know where they're going or what they plan on doing, what do you know?" He asked Mr. Lang. 

It seemed Mr. Lang had been waiting for this question, judging by the glint in his eyes. Vision swore he almost smiled. 

"Well, I know that they plan on sticking together," he told Secretary Ross. 

Ross seemed to believe him but Vision wasn't quite so convinced. A quick glance at Tony and Vision's suspicion was confirmed.  

Tony didn't believe him either. 

"What else?" Ross asked. 

"I want to be on house arrest." Mr. Lang requested, shifting his body forward to meet Ross's eyes bravely. 

"This is not the time for demands. You tell me what I want and if it's important enough, _then_ you get your leg bracelet." 

Mr. Lang sighed, a sound that was just for show. 

"Then I don't know anything else." 

"I could just throw you back in prison," Ross threatened.

"But then you'll never find them." 

The sigh Ross gave this time was hidden, which only made Vision think it's genuine. 

"Alright then," he said after a full minute of silence and intensive staring. "I agree." 

"They agreed to go somewhere in Mongolia," Mr. Lang said. 

Immediately, Vision searched all he could on the country. It took him around three seconds to see that it was one of the least densely populated areas in the world. 

It made sense for a bunch of runaway to go there but - 

"And how would they get halfway across the world?" Ross asked what Vision was wondering. 

"Sneak on a cargo plane," Scott said. 

Vision thought it didn't quite make sense, as cargo planes went through so much security it was basically impossible to do that, but he didn't say anything.  

Ross didn't seem to think twice about it. 

Soon enough, Mr. Lang was sent back with the promise of getting to go back home. Mr. Barton was next. 

Unlike Mr. Lang, he seemed more assured of the situation, oozing a confidence that not a lot of people had. Vision found himself hoping that meant more information about where Wanda (no, everyone) was. 

It turned out it meant less. 

"So let me get this straight," Ross said, frustrated, "They're walking to Brazil." 

"Yes," Mr. Barton said with conviction. 

"And how long will that take?" 

Mr. Barton smiled. "According to our calculations, around 300 days. Give or take." 

This was useless. Vision could bet that neither of the stories were true. 

"According to your friend, they are going to Mongolia." 

Mr. Barton laughed, a mocking sound. "No one trusts Scott. That's why they didn't tell him where they're actually going." 

Vision didn't believe that either but Ross seemed to accept it. 

He was about to give up all hope of ever finding them when Tony suddenly got up. 

Without so much as an explanation, he walked out the door. A minute later, he appeared on the cameras, whispering something in Ross's ear. 

Judging by the Secretary's furrowed brow and angry face, he seemed displeased with whatever was happening. However, the exchange ended with a curt nod so it couldn't have been bad. 

Soon after, Vision was called down to the room. 

He was met outside by both Ross and Tony. 

"Can you tell who is telling the truth?" Ross asked him. 

Vision hesitated for a moment, but a look at Tony made him quickly catch up.

"I would have to be next to them," Vision said. 

Ross shook his head, "Of course you would." He seemed to consider it for a moment before saying, "Alright then, let's get this over with."

He made a move to open the door and walk in when Tony stopped him. 

"I think it might be better for Vision to go alone," he said, "Barton trusts him."

Ross sighed. "Fine," he finally said.

Then, Tony reached out and hugged Vision. Vision was in the process of wondering when that became a thing when he heard Tony say, in the lowest whisper he had ever heard, "You have one minute."

And just like that, Vision was face to face with Mr. Barton. 

"I only have one minute," he immediately said. 

56 seconds. 

"You can have all the time in the world, I am not telling you -"

Vision didn't make a habit out of cutting people off but this time, he had to. 

"Ross isn't listening," he quickly explained. "Please, I just need to know where she is."

33 seconds. 

"To hunt them all down like animals?" Mr. Barton snapped. "She was broken when Cap finally got us out."

It destroyed Vision's heart to hear that. In fact, he was sure his heart had made a cracking sound as it shattered. 

He was in physical pain from it. 

"No, I just need to see her." 

19 seconds. 

"Please," he tried again, "I am suffocating not knowing how she is."

"She is dreadful," Mr. Barton answered with a sneer. "And that's on you."

"12 more seconds." Vision said, knowing he had lost his chance. 

Mr. Barton sighed deeply. Then, as if by miracle, 

"Bighorn Road," Mr. Barton said, looking as if he already regretted his own choice. 

Vision's eyes went wide. He memorised the name immediately, burying it in every synthetic part of his brain until it was all he could think of. 

Then, he faked a conversation with Mr. Barton, told Ross that he was telling the truth and went back to the tower with Tony.

He had not dared search for Bighorn Road until he was far away from Ross. 

But now, alone in his room, he started searching for all possible addresses. 

 

 

* * *

Wanda felt a pang of sadness as she huddled closer to Natasha. 

It had been three days since the team separated and she already missed everyone increasingly much. It would be worrying if she had the knowledge she would see them again but she didn't. 

Somehow, she had ended up in the same situation she was in over a month ago. 

She wondered when she would stop losing family, when she could sit down at a dinner table and eat alongside everyone who she cared about. 

_Never_ , she thought, a bit of scarlet appearing at her fingertips. 

Natasha hissed her name so she made it stop. 

They were in the second to last wagon of a cargo train, going through Wyoming. Soon, they would have to jump out and make their way to the designated spot but - 

until then, Wanda moved closer to Natasha. 

"Out of all the places," Natasha muttered. 

Wanda almost laughed, but held back. Natasha wasn't wrong, it had actually taken a moment for Wanda to remember Wyoming was even a place in the U.S., let alone realise why it was a good idea despite it being dreadfully boring. 

She didn't mean to, but she thought of Vision then. 

If he had been there with them, Wanda was sure he would have been excited to be out in the open, away from New York, searching for things she couldn't even begin to imagine. Even thinking about his excitement made her feel both better and worse. 

She wished he was here with her. 

There was nothing new about wanting her best friend back but it had started to feel different anyway. 

Wanda wasn't stupid. She had realised her budding feelings way before the accords, when Vision was still near her every day, hovering in the doorway or sitting on her floor with her. 

She remembered the moment exactly, they were sitting on her bed, playing cards. Wanda wasn't a fan of cards but Vision had taught her (and himself) how to play bullshit, and she was enjoying beating his ass every round. 

_How are you so good at this?_ he had asked. 

And she remembered she had smiled, a gesture she had hoped made her look good. She hadn't answered him, just smiled and his confusion had showed on his face. He had looked so good, all wide eyes and tentative smiles that she hadn't been able to help herself. 

It had been an overwhelming urge to kiss him, hold him, let him hold her. 

After that, nothing had been the same. 

"We're here," Natasha said, not hesitating to get up. 

She offered Wanda a hand, and the witch gladly took it. 

"Ready?" Natasha asked her. 

Wanda opened the wagon door as an answer. 

"On three," Natasha instructed her and grabbed her hand. 

She will have to break their fall. Natasha may be skilled but she was only human. 

"One." 

The wind was blowing so Wanda had to take that into account. 

"Two." 

She was nervous about this, but the nervousness was nothing compared to the emptiness. 

"Three."

They jumped. 

Wanda managed to break their fall well enough, but they still crashed into the ground. She was definitely going to have some bruising to show for it. 

"That wasn't so bad." Besides her, Natasha got up and dusted off her clothes. Wanda noticed she winced when she brushed against her knee. 

"Where to now?" Wanda asked. 

Natasha pulled out the map from her backpack and pointed towards their left. 

"That way," she said. "We should get to the base by tomorrow morning." 

Wanda nodded, holding back a sigh. 

She was not looking forward to this little trip. 

They started walking confidently, but by nightfall, Wanda was barely dragging her legs along. She was tired, even if Natasha didn't seem to be, and she was hungry. 

Of course, Natasha had noticed this but she didn't stop which meant they couldn't stop. Wanda wasn't about to question a world-class assassin on whether it would be better to stop or keep going on a mission. 

So she swallowed her tongue and kept going. 

Four hours later, she was done with life. 

She almost said something but then, she felt it. 

It was unmistakable, but she felt around the terrain again. 

And then again. 

She felt Natasha, so she wasn't wrong about that. She felt other people around too, miles away from them. 

And she felt _him_. 

She tried again. 

She hadn't realised she had stopped walking until Natasha shook her. 

"What's wrong?" the older woman hissed at her. 

Wanda realised there was scarlet around her. 

She stopped that but kept the one connection open. 

"How far are we from the base?" she asked Natasha instead. 

"Two hours' walk at this pace," Natasha answered her. 

Wanda considered it. 

Could it be? 

She kept reaching out to that mind as they continued walking, as she hurried her pace. Dawn was breaking. 

She expected the mind to switch into something unfamiliar, something that didn't scream home to her but it didn't. Hope was bubbling in her at a threatening speed. 

And then, she ran. 

She wasn't sure where she had the energy from but she knew it. Knew it was him. _Vision_.

She didn't want to question how he had found them or how long he'd been waiting. She just kept running. 

Only - 

Only he wasn't there. 

But he was. 

Wanda almost laughed. _Of course_. 

Of course he would disguise himself. It didn't matter, his mind was still the same. 

She rushed by his side, falling into his open arms and crashing against his chest. 

His arms closed around her, holding her tightly. 

"Hi," he whispered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no clue what street I just decided on but in my defense, it looked abandoned on Google Maps.


	3. Little Truths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's going to be 4 chapters in total, I've finally decided!

Natasha was vehemently displeased with the new situation. Her anger, which she showed through displeased glances and an even tone, made her terrifying. 

"Are you going to turn us in now?" she asked Vision for the fifth time. 

"No," Vision maintained his answer. 

"Then why are you here?" Natasha insisted. 

Vision hesitated. He found the real answer to be too revealing of his intentions towards Wanda. It could easily have been misinterpreted as a demand and that was the last thing he wanted to make. So, he said instead, "I missed my best friend."

His eyes snuck a quick glance at Wanda, as if functioning on habit alone. He was surprised to find that she was staring at him intensely and he didn't quite know what to make of it. 

"How do I know Ross isn't on his way right now, along with an army of soldiers to capture us?" Natasha asked. 

Vision heard Wanda sigh a frustrated sound but he didn't dare not look Natasha in the eye as he answered. 

"They would have been here with me if that were the case," he said. 

Natasha didn't even consider this, "Or they sent you down here to check if we'd show up and distract us while they are on their way." 

Vision had long ago realised that there were many things which made Natasha question everyone's reasons for doing something. He had never imagined it would be his intentions that ended up being questioned eventually. 

He tried to find some rational reason why it was safe and they could trust him, but even with his mind working through information at an increased rate, he found nothing. 

He decided honesty was a better way to deal with the situation. "I hurt you, which was never my intention. I just needed to make sure that my mistake was reversible." 

Natasha's expression remained neutral but he caught a flash of anger on Wanda's face. He longed to touch the wrinkles that formed on her forehead, smooth them out with his fingers, kiss all her worry away. 

It was a struggle to stop himself from reaching out. 

"I don't trust you," Natasha finally said, and Vision nodded, "but I don't really have a choice. Just know that neither me nor Wanda will forgive you if you betray us." 

"I have no intention of doing that," Vision said, and he meant it. 

Natasha sighed, some tension in her face releasing. She seemed to have given up. "I'll set us up," she told Wanda, grabbing the backpack from her. Wanda gave it without hesitation, nodding. 

Vision watched as Wanda looked around, taking the surrounding building in. He had been here for a little over five hours and had taken the time to look around, analyse the building and recreate the floor plan in his head. He found the building to be like any only storehouse, all high ceilings and few but large rooms. The structure was old, and it showed, but he had calculated the risk of collapse and realised that wasn't a serious concern. 

All those were basic engineering skills. But he wondered what Wanda saw when she saw the building. Did she see all the points of entry, the structural damage that was visible to the naked eye, the rusted pillars? 

He thought of asking but she didn't seem too invested. 

Instead, he said, "I am happy to see you again." He meant it. 

He watched as her eyes flickered from the building to meet his. He felt the inexplicable urge to pull back but fought it. He wanted to look at her, analyse and remember the way her face looked like at the break of dawn. 

She was breathtaking. And she was angry. 

"Let's get inside," she said instead. 

Vision complied, and followed her as she made her way to the door Natasha had disappeared through minutes ago. Inside it had gotten warmer than during the night but it remained cool. 

As if to answer his thoughts, Wanda shivered lightly. 

Vision wished he had some extra coat to give her but he hadn't considered bringing anything other than the clothes he was wearing. He didn't feel the cold so he didn't think to pack a sweater. 

He was about to suggest they remain outside in the sun when Wanda spoke. 

"Why are you really here?" she asked him.

He considered giving her the same answer as before. Her eyes looked like they craved the unedited truth, so he decided to give her that. 

"I missed you," he said. "And I wanted to make sure you were okay."

His eyes flickered to her neck, where light scarring was visible. The image of her in that cell, a collar around her neck had been forever imprinted in his mind. It haunted his dreams and hurt him in his waking moments. 

He was a cause for these scars that had touched her precious skin. 

Wanda must have noticed his eyes on her neck, but she didn't mention it. Instead, she said, "I missed you too, Vis." 

Vision made a move to hug her then, missing the way her body had felt against him. But Wanda backed away and he stopped. 

"That doesn't mean I forgive you," she warned. 

Vision nodded dumbly. He had irrationally hoped all would be good. He had apologised, she had as well. True, it was in the middle of a battle, when emotions were running high and people were more likely to say things they didn't mean, statistically. But Vision had meant it. 

Now, he wondered if Wanda had as well. 

"Your mind is going a billion miles an hour," she told him, "come back down here for a second." 

He nodded and tried his best. 

"How is everyone?" he asked, thinking how Tony had instructed him to always make small talk. 

"They're all good," Wanda said. "Did Clint and Scott...?" 

She didn't finish but Vision knew what she wanted to know. "They both got deals. They're going to see their families today." 

Wanda nodded. A small smile appeared on her lips, tugged back down by a frustrated sigh. 

"I hurt you too," she said, as if the realisation of it was weighing her down. 

"I'm alright now," Vision hurried to say, wanting to reassure her. The small smile found its way back to her face, reaching her eyes this time. 

He found himself willing to do a lot of things to keep that smile there, small as it was. 

She took a step towards him. 

He was elated by it, and it must have shown because she laughed. How he had missed that laugh, it was music to his ears. 

"You look good," he said, meaning beautiful instead. Her eyes looked tired, her shoulders were slumped together even more than usually and her hair was messy, wild. Her clothes were a mess, a combination of blacks and blues that seemed to want to fall apart on themselves and there was drying sweat on her forehead. Even so, Vision was sure she was earth-shattering. 

"You look tired," she said in reply. 

Somehow, Vision hadn't noticed that she got closer to him. 

"I think I made the wrong choice, Wanda," he admitted. 

He had been thinking it through in his head, Tony's insistence that they needed supervision versus the thought of not seeing Wanda again. He had found there was no competition. 

"We all did what we thought was right," she told him. Her hand reached out for his, shyly. 

He didn't hesitate before taking it. Against his metallic skin, her soft hand felt delicate. He remained in awe at the thought that something so gentle could cause so much damage. 

"I would rather have you than what is right," he said. It surprised him how true it was. 

Wanda bit the inside of her mouth. It was a nervous tick she always did whenever she held something back. 

Vision wanted her to stop holding things back, wanted to hear every single thought on her mind. He wondered if that could ever be possible. 

"You can't just say things like that, Vis." It almost sounded like she was scolding him but Vision did not miss the glint of hope in her eyes. 

"Even if they're true?" he asked her. 

She said nothing at that. Instead, when she spoke, it was to ask a question. "What are you saying?" 

Vision was perplexed. He thought he was being clear. There was no subtext to his words, no hidden meaning behind his tone. But Wanda seemed to think there was. 

"I don't know what to say," he said, defeated. 

A soft sigh escaped Wanda's lips, the kind of sound she always made when Vision had missed a social cue. 

"What did you expect to happen with you coming here?" 

Vision inhaled sharply at the implications. He had heard and seen people who only did something for the reward. He didn't want to be like that. 

"I expect nothing from you, Wanda." He was being truthful. 

A smile appeared on Wanda's face, lighting her up. "Of course you don't," she said, softly. "What would you want then?" 

Vision considered that. He opened and closed his mouth several times trying to bring himself to say something. The problem was that no words seemed to fit with what he wanted. 

Finally, he said, "I want you." It felt like the truth.

Wanda's features showed surprise: her blue-green eyes got bigger, her brows raised, her mouth parted slightly. Then, she schooled her face back into neutrality and sighed the same small sigh as earlier. "You don't know what you're saying." 

Vision dared to take a step closer. He didn't know why but it felt like the right thing to do. 

"I think I do," he insisted. 

"Vis, that's what people say when they're in love," she said, using the same soft voice she gave all her explanations in. "Like in all the rom-coms we watched." 

He thought about this. "But is it bad?" 

He watched as Wanda swallowed slowly before answering. "No, it's not. It just means - " she hesitated, "it just means romantic feelings." 

Romantic feelings. 

Was he capable of that? He must be, he was capable of all human emotions as far as he knew. He loved people like family so why would he not be able to love someone romantically?

It seemed possible but - 

But how would he know?

"Help me understand what I'm feeling," he almost begged her. 

Wanda nodded. Her hand was still in his and she gave it a tight squeeze.

Vision reciprocated. 

"Romantic love is - it's wanting to be close to the other person constantly. It's wanting to hold them and wanting to tell them everything about your day, your week. It's wanting to kiss them. It's accepting their flaws. It's feeling like they're the only person for you in the whole world." 

Vision nodded. He considered this with everything he knew about it. It made sense, but at the same time, it didn't. 

It didn't because he felt all of this, have been feeling it for a long time. 

A thought ran through his head so instead of asking for more information, he questioned something else, "What do you feel?" 

Wanda seemed taken by surprise. Then, she answered with a honesty that was rare even between them. She seemed so sincere, her eyes had a glassy look to them. A soft pink coloured her cheeks as she spoke. 

"I feel love, Vis. The kind of love that shouldn't be between just friends. I feel it anyway. And I want all of it but only if you're sure you want it too." 

"I think I want it too," Vision said. 

He got closer to her. His chest was touching hers but for whatever reason, he wanted more. 

She seemed to feel the same way because she pressed her body against his. She looked up at him and he looked down at her. Their eyes met. 

Wanda glanced at his lips then, and Vision had seen enough movies to know what this meant. He was wondering if he should just kiss her when her eyes met his again. 

He should have paid more attention. It was the first time his memory failed him. But truly, he had no recollection of how it happened that Wanda's lips brushed against his in a quick kiss. It was so soft and swift that it could have just as well been a sign of his impending madness. 

But he wanted it again. So he kissed her, pushing slightly against her lips. He tried to move his head a bit but hit their noses together instead. 

They broke apart with Wanda laughing. 

If he had the capacity to blush, Vision figured he'd be as scarlet as human skin could be. 

"It's okay," she told him. 

He smiled, unintentionally. It turned into a large grin that was out of his control. 

He was elated to see that Wanda shared his smile with a grin of her own. He found himself wanting to do nothing but stare at her for the rest of time. 

He couldn't imagine ever getting bored of counting the details of her face. 


End file.
